Apogee Imaging Systems - Alta U10 CCD Camera with Grade H Atmel TH7899 Sensor

The Alta Design Team at Apogee worked hard over a two year period to bring this advanced degree of integration and performance to the astronomy market. Alta has set new standards for imaging performance, connectivity, cooling, compactness, cost effectiveness, and the elimination of external support electronics. Like the AP and KX series, Alta is a platform, not a CCD or specific interface type. It is designed for a variety of CCDs, ranging from the smallest to those measuring 36mm on a side with 4096 x 4096 arrays.

So many improvements in such a small package: No more external controllers, plug-in cards, or frame grabbers. Dual digitization for high precision plus high speed focus. On-board camera memory for fast local sequences and no worries about transfer interruptions. Time delayed integration for imaging far beyond the size of the sensor. A single 12V power input for optional battery-powered operation. In addition, the Apogee Alta U Series cameras have dual digitization, 12 and 16 bit. The 12 bit mode is intended primarily as a focus mode.

Alta U Series cameras are available with a wide variety of sensors, including: Back-illuminated sensors with very high quantum efficiency, some with sensitivity in the deep UV; Interline transfer sensors with fast electronic shuttering and inherent anti-blooming; front-illuminated CCDs with high sensitivity in the near-IR without etaloning. In general, the larger the pixel size, the higher the dynamic range. Smaller pixels (about 7 microns) are typically used for microscopy (U32; U2000; U4000); larger pixels and larger arrays are typically used for astronomy (U42, U47 back-illuminated; U16M, U9000, U6 front-illuminated).

Apogee Alta Scientific Imaging Systems means you'll get High Speed, low noise, 16/12 bit dual digitization to 7 MHz, TEC cooling to >75C. Lifetime warranty on CCD chamber seal. Fast USB 2.0 advanced I/O control. The Apogee Alta imaging systems represent cost effective advanced imaging technology not found anywhere else. The Alta platform currently supports 11 different housing configurations, including high cooling, wide entrance angle, and low profile variants, many with a choice of fans or liquid circulation.

Apogee Alta U10 Highlights

• 2048 x 2048 array, 14 x 14 micron pixels


• 5 MHz 12-bit and 1 MHz 16-bit digitization


• 32Mbyte camera memory


• USB 2.0 interface: no plug in cards or external controllers


• Programmable, intelligent cooling to 45C below ambient


• Binning up to 10 Horizontal x 2048 Vertical


• Subarray readout and fast sequencing modes


• Precision time delayed integration readout


• Programmable fan speed for low / zero vibration


• Two serial port outputs for control of peripheral devices


• General purpose programmable I/O port


• External triggering and strobe controls


• ActiveX drivers included with every system


• Field upgradeable firmware


• Fused silica windows


• Runs from single 12V supply with input voltage monitor


• Compact enclosure


• Programmable status indicators

About the Atmel TH7899M Full Field CCD Image Sensor

The TH7899M sensor is a 2048 x 2048 full frame Charge Couple Device (CCD) designed for a wide range of applications due to both its operating mode flexibility and its high dynamic range combined with its high resolution.Thedevice is 180° symmetrical so if it is not plugged in the right side it will not be damaged. The nominal photosensitive area is made up of 2048 x 2048 useful pixels split vertically in 4 zones A, B, C and D. Each zone can be driven separately by four-phase clocks (ΦP1 ΦP2 ΦP3 and ΦP4) allowing different operating modes as described. There are two identical horizontal shift registers: one at the top of the image area (register A) and one at the bottom (register B). At each end of the two readout registers, a summing gate is located which can be clocked to allow a horizontal pixel summation in front of the on-chip output amplifier.

Atmel TH7899M Full Field CCD Image Sensor Features

• Designed for Digital Photography, Graphic Arts, Medical and Scientific Applications


• Pixel 14μmx14μm Photomos with 100% Aperture


• Image Zone: 28.67mm x 28.67mm


• Frame Readout Through 1, 2 or 4 Outputs


• Data Rates up to 4x20 MHz (Compatibility with 15 Frames/Second)


• Possible Binning 2 x 2 pixels (Format 1024x1024 with Pixels of 28 μm x 28 μm)


• High Dynamic Range (up to 12600:1) even at:– Room Temperature – 20 MHz/Output


• Very Low Dark Current (MPP Mode)


• Optimized Resolution and Responsivity in the 400- 1100 nm Spectrum


• Other Possible Full Frame Operating Modes: – 1536 x 2048 Pixels of 14μm x 14μm – 768 x 1024 Pixels of 28μm x 28μm


• Compatible with Fiber Optic Face Plate Coupling


• On Request: Frame Transfer Architecture (On-chip Memory Defined by Mechanical Shielding) Featuring:– 1024 (V) x 2048 (H) Active Pixels of 14μm x 14μm – 512 (V) x 1024 (H) Active Pixels of 28μm x 28μm – 512 (V) x 2048 (H) Active Pixels of 14μm x 14μm